Merry christmas bobby
by Storm13
Summary: A new girl collapses outside xavier's school for the gifted, bringing with her a peice of Logan's past and a surprise for bobby. Written in first person each chapter is labelled with the name of whose point of view it's from, DONE! FINALLY
1. Ebony

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except Ebony, the rest all belong to marevl or fox.  
  
Authors notes: Just to get this clear, the x-men are about in their middle thritys apart from logan and we're not sure how old he is exactly. Also Bobby, Remy and rogue are the only students that are in the X-men and their all about 18, so is ebony. Rogue is going out with remy after splitting up with boby, LOGAN IS NOT GOING TO DATE ROGUE; THAT IS SICK ALLRIGHT, SHE'S LIKE A LITTLE SISTER, and BOBBY IS NOT GOING TO DATE JUBILEE; they treat each oehter like i treat my cousin and i have no intention of marrying my cousion, O BLoody K? (sorry i shoulchange that to authros rant)  
  
I look up at the street sign through tired and blurry Eyes "westchestchir" it proclaims, I'm nearly there! I stumble along the high street, earning myself a few looks from passers by. my hands are hidden by long gloves, luckily for me, or I'd be earning more than just a few looks, a lynch mob maybe.  
  
I know what their thinking when they see me "Why is that girl stumbling along the streets in the middle of winter in shorts a long sleeved t-shirt, gloves and a denim jacket?" why indeed? That's a VERY long story and quite frankly not one I want to think about right now. Pain sends messages from my tired legs that it's time to stop but I ignore them, the last part of my journey has definitely been the worse, I'm tired and the snow stops me using my powers to draw strength from the earth, so I stumble on with human strength human endurance, and as much determination as I can muster. I have to make it I just have to!  
  
I switch into a side street to avoid more people staring at me, and head for the address I stole from the files back at the compound, A school for mutants, the one that's been on the news lately, It's my last hope, my last refuge, if they'll have me.   
  
There's only one problem though  
  
Him,  
From the clips I've seen of the school he's there, does he remember me? will he try to hurt me like at the compound? I'm scared, scared of what might happen, of him  
  
But I must put that out of my mind, there has to be som way around it, if he's escaped, if hes on that team, then maybe he isn't the same as he was in the compound, maybe he won't want to finish what he started, maybe he won't even remember.   
  
Maybe things will be ok,  
  
They have to be ok this is the only place I can go, It will be ok, It will be fine as long…  
  
As long as I can make it to the house, the school, I can see it loom in the distance, I'm almost at the gates, got to make it past the gates, up the path, but it's so cold. So cold, so cold , so cold, soooo coollllllllld  
  
"Too cold" I murmur, as I collapse in the snow just inside the gates. 


	2. Bobby

I'm outside in the cold but I don't feel anything, which is why it's always my turn to shovel the walk when it snows, oh the joys of being an iceman.  
  
Yeah that's right, Iceman, "can lower outside and body temperature without harm to himself, can change into a form made completely of ice? Is good for shoveling snow in the winter 'cos he doesn't get cold?" you must know, or at least if you go to "Xavier's school for the gifted" you must. I'm a student there, and very recently a member of the oh-so famous "X-men". I get to wear a silly leather costume and save the world, oh joy.  
  
Anyone who knows me will ask where the normal happy, prankster iceman is, is he on vacation? Nah I'm just in a bad mood, I hate being alone at Christmas. I hate being alone full stop. Of course I'm not the only one who's alone this Christmas, storm is, but she doesn't seem to mind, she has her students, and her plants, sometimes I swear my history teacher treats them just like people. As for me, well rogue and I had some fun times, and we're still friends, I'm glad she's happy with that new student, Remy. He can give her something I can't; he can "leak" his powers so he can kiss her.  
  
I decide to do what I usually d when I shove the walk, start from the gates and work back up towards the school, that way I', not tramping the snow from boots over the ground I've already cleared.  
  
As I get nearer to the gates I can see… I don't know, something they're something in the snowdrift right by the post, where it's deepest. I run over, as I get closer I realize the thing in the snow is a person, a girl, or her face at least. I have no idea how long they've been out here, and tit's been snowing so hard!  
  
"Shit" is all I manage to say  
  
She could be beautiful.  
  
Oh I know that's not what you're expected to think when you find a strange girl collapsed outside your gate in the snow. Movies dictate that you should think they're the most beautiful thing in the word and fall madly in love at first site, that last part is truer than the first. All of as sudden I just know I don't want her to be dead, love at first sight? Maybe not, lust at first sight? Definitely.   
  
Her tangled hair is a rich black that puts her in sharp contrast to the snow, that what I noticed first, she has high cheekbones, and her skin, pale from the cold look like it would be tanned under different circumstances.  
  
I jerk myself back to reality, I need to get her inside, need to get her warm, safe, if she stays out here longer, she might die. She might already be dead, but no, her lips (which have taken on a slightly blue tone) are parted gently, and I can feel a soft jerky breath on my hand as I kneel, de-icing to carry her back to the mansion.   
  
I drop the shovel too, so can clear the snow off of her. I feel vaguely obscene kneeling in the snow brushing said white stuff off a strange woman's chest, If anyone comes along right now I don't know what it must look like, I clear as much snow as I can off her torso enough to see what she's wearing.  
  
She is most definitely not dressed for this kind of weather, a short-sleeved T-shirt and a denim jacket! She's got gloves over her hands, and ones bunched up, I catch a flash of metal underneath, curious I peel off the glove.  
  
Her hand is covered in smooth black metal that otherwise looks like's the stuff wolverine's claws are made of, and speaking of claws, there are some of those that are definitely made from the same material as wolverine's attached to the glove.  
  
I feel my blood boiling over, It's bad enough that someone decided to experiment on wolverine, how can you experiment on someone this young, someone who looks so innocent, so peaceful, so pretty? I just don't understand how anyone could want to hurt someone this angelic.  
  
Enough delaying, I need to get her somewhere warm. I pick her up, and she's surprisingly light, so at least I know her skeletons not made of metal. I leave the shovel; I'll come back for it later. 


	3. Ebony

I'm back in the laboratory at the compound, my arm? What are they doing to my arm, oww that hurt's not again, no! I'm not in the laboratory anymore, I'm in the training yard, and he's there, in one of his rages, he charges me, I duck just in time, his claws knick my arm, I bring mine up and they lock in mid air. The mission, their too close I lag behind, the enemies, so close, their guns barely miss me, THE PAIN, it hurts, I'm hit, I'm bleeding, I fall and lie there in the snow … dieing.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" I yell waking, my claws extended and scratching at the air in front of me. I'm not in the compound, a lab maybe; no it's an infirmary. Two people stare at me with shocked faces-   
  
"Well take a wild guess which secret organization that experiments on mutants she's from" The boy, about my age says dryly. He's cute, blonde hair and blue eyes, dreamy  
  
"Same one as wolverine's maybe? And that wasn't nice bobby" the woman scolds, the cuties name is bobby, it suits him. She has brown skin, white hair and blue eyes, an unusual combination to say the least.  
  
"Well forgive me for trying to lighten the mood Ororo" He countered to the woman, Ororo. He turns to me "are you ok? Why were you out their in the snow?"  
  
"I think so" I say "where am I?" I was so close to the school when I passed out, am I inside it now? I wonder.  
  
"Your inside Xavier's school for the gifted, I'm just going to tell jean, Xavier and the others your awake, I'll be right back" Ororo says, turning to leave the room  
  
"Wait" I'm starting to feel a bit coldy, but then I must have been out in the snow for quite some time, and without being able to draw strength from the earth, with what I was wearing? I'll be lucky if get out of this with just a cold, I've probably got the flu or pneumonia or something, because I don't normally have nightmares about where I come from, only when I'm sick, or upset. "Disk" I say groping for the disk in my jacket, my jacket!  
  
"Jacket, where's my jacket!" I cry frantically, they can't have thrown it away; it's all I have to offer.  
  
"Calm down, you need some rest" Ororo soothes, crossing over to the bed I'm sitting on, she gently forces me to lie back down. She reminds me of the few memories I have of my mother. "We didn't throw it away or anything, bobby did you see a disk when you carried her in here?" she asked bobby  
  
"I didn't notice one, but then I wasn't looking when I carried her in and I don't know where you put her jacket, you were the one who undressed her and put her to bed 'ro" bobby answered  
  
"I'll look on my way back from Xavier's office."  
  
"No, I say, pushing against her hand and trying to sit up "Please" I cough "give him" I cough gain "the disk give, him the disk" my worlds dissolve into another coughing fit.  
  
"Ok" Ororo crooned softly, "Now lie down on your side, you'll be able to breath easier" she tells me, tucking me back under the covers "bobby will look after you here for minute our doctor, jean went to tell the professor about you" She leaves, hesitating a moment at the door.  
  
"What's? your name" bobby asks me, moving to sit at the head of the bed as I settle down and stop coughing.  
  
"Ebony" I mutter, half asleep.  
  
"Well Ebony, rest a bit, I'll wake you when 'ro gets back"  
  
"She's nice" I whisper  
  
"Who 'ro? Oh everyone says that, she's like the adoptive mother of the school or something, everybody loved her" bobby laughs,   
  
"uhm" I manage, drifting back into a dreamless sleep. 


	4. Ororo

I walk along the halls towards Xavier's office, riffling the girl's jacket to find the disk she was talking about. Thankfully it's their, it hasn't fallen out in the snow or gotten wet or anything, I don't know what would have happened if It had, the girls seemed to think it was terribly important that Xavier should get it.  
  
(What could be on this?) I wonder. Looking at the disk, I notice that there's something scribbled really small in the right hand corner of the label, not the same as the handwriting which lists a series the writing reads 'password: wolverine project.' "Wolverine, what does he have to do with it?" I'm so surprised I ask the question out loud. Luckily no ones in the hall to hear my outburst, still this troubles me. How does wolverine fit in with this girl, stupid question really, the claws, but how did she know to come here, more importantly where is she from, what's she here for, how is she connected to wolverine, through this project? Huh, project, sounds like a piece of university course work, how can anyone think of someone else like that?  
  
I finally reach the office and knock on the door, hearing Xavier's telepathic invitation I enter.  
"Ah 'roro" Xavier says, from behind his desk. Jean is standing in front of it,"is the girl awake?" he asks  
"Yes, professor she wanted me to give you this disk, it seemed very important for her and…"  
"She worries you?" he queries  
"No…this worries me" I say handing him the disk, and pointing at the writing, jean leans over to read it as well.  
"Certainly is bizarre, I wonder how they're connected, I wonder what she wants us to see on this"  
"I'll have kitty look at it, she knows the most about the computers, if there's anymore passwords to crack she should be able to handle them, meanwhile let go talk to the girl" Xavier responds. 


	5. Ebony

I wake up, hearing footsteps down the hall and feeling the lightest touch on my forehead. I open my eyes and glare accusingly at bobby   
He chuckles "sorry, you had a hair in your face, and the others are coming"  
"That so?"  
"That is indeed so," He grins down at me  
"Your such a smartass aren't you?" I say still glaring up at him,  
"No more than you it seems..." He cocks his head and looks at me with puppy dog eyes, I shake my head.  
"Where'd you get that idea" I say turning on my side,  
"I don't know" he shrugs "maybe 'that so' tipped me off" He retorts, smiling, I laugh this time but the laugh digresses to another coughing fit, I was lucky I guess, to make it here before falling sick.  
  
"Hey, are you ok? Easy girl I'm not that funny!" bobby asks nervously, patting me on the back.  
  
"She's all right Robert, she's just got a mild case of bronchitis, and she's lucky she didn't catch pneumonia, whatever possessed you to walk around in the middle of winter in shorts?" A redhead says from the door, she's not trying to be spiteful just friendly teasing.  
  
"I came from florida," I manage to quip.  
  
"Very funny, here, take these" the red head says holding out some tablets, I look at her suspiciously "antibiotics" she clarifies. I take them with the glass of water that's been left by my bed, wincing at how cold it is.  
  
"Feeling better?" the redhead grins, "I'm jean by the way"  
  
"Already? Sure… names ebony"  
  
"That's a nice name"   
  
"I hate it"  
  
"Sorry, you said, you said you needed to talk to the professor"  
  
"Yes, he's outside isn't he"  
  
"How did you?"  
  
"The footsteps, their were two sets of feet and one of wheels, I saw something on tv, that's why I came here, I have things you should probably know, and…. I need help" there I've said it, I'm not good at asking other people for help but I did it  
  
"Hello ebony" A voice rang out from the door 


	6. Kitty

I open the file break few a few easy passwords and hit the decode button, finally the profiles flash up on screen. The title of the document reads 'THE WOLVERINE PROJECT'.  
  
I gasp, one, no two of these pictures are of familiar people. One is Logan the loner my teachers picked up a while a go, he went of for sometime, but he's back for Christmas, grumbling about crazy people in malls, heh we should rename him scrooge. Mind you if I had heightened senses the mall at Christmas time would make me grumble too. The other familiar picture is that guy that was on tv, the one with blonde hair big teeth and large claw that the X-Men (that's our teachers) call sabretooth. The last picture, or rather the first if we're taking this from left to right, is of a girl I've never seen before, she's got black hair, and brown nearly black eyes, she's also got tanned skin, looks to be from south America or the east of Europe. She reminds me of one of the Puerto Rican extras in west side story, maybe that's where she comes from.  
  
  
I scroll down the screen taking in the information and my eyes widen, if Xavier knew what was on here, would he let me read it, I debate calling him and asking if he wants me to give this two him, but remember he's busy with that girl him and jean were talking about when I came in, maybe she's the one in the picture, probably. Besides, I want to read this, I'm curious.  
  
I start with the girl,  
  
Name: Ebony Cortez  
Codename: Earthsight  
Location of pickup: Puerto rica  
Age at pickup:14  
Time in weapon x at last update: 4 years  
  
BIO:   
Subject was picked up in a Puerto Rican while one of our operatives was on holiday as they had no system for holding mutants yet, arrested for stealing a car. The wolverine project was just starting at the time so this subject was our first experiment. The experiment did not go perfectly but the results were satisfactorily, subject isn't vicious enough to be the ultimate killing machine the project is aimed at creating but she makes a good scout on missions due to her endurance   
  
Powers at time of pickup:   
1.Ability to draw strength from the earth, giving her heightened endurance, most be in direct physical contact with bare earth or vegetation, not snow, concrete etc.   
2.Ability to sense danger by "listening" to the earth or "seeing with it" hence the codename  
  
Powers/skills after experimentation:  
Knowledge of many fighting techniques including Karate, kickboxing, knife fighting. Claw glove surgically implanted in left arm, the claw glove consists of the glove and 3 retractable claws, and the glove has been designed so subject cannot remove it without outside interference, and not by injury in a fight.   
  
I stop reading I've had enough (PROFESSOR)  
  
*yes kitty, please don't shout*  
  
(I think you need to hear this) 


	7. Prof x

I listen telepathically to what kitty's telling me about the contents of this disk whilst trying to concentrate on Ebony and what she's telling me as well. Ebony tell me that most of what I should know is on the disk that she doesn't want to tell me herself that it's easier this way, and I believe her. By the sound of what kitty is telling me her experience most have been at least as distressing as Logan's if not more. She tells me about weapon x, about who they are. She say there are other people in here or that we've met that were members of that team, just as kitty say there were pictures of wolverine and Sabretooth in the files.   
  
Speak of the devil Wolverine walks in with his usually attitude, stops short and raises his eyebrows. "Party in the infirmary again?" he grunts. He glances over as Ebony gives a short scream and scrambles back across her bed to back up against the wall, cowering. "And what the hell is up with that kid?" he asked, jerking a thumb in the "kid's" direction.  
  
  
I send out a gentle telepathic probe towards Ebony, gently disconnecting from kitty, but jean gets there first, ah the impetuousness of youth. "Apparently you" she sighs in an exasperated tone of voice, crossing her arms and turning to stare at Logan  
  
"WHAT?" Logan splutters indignant "I don't even know the kid, why the hell she scared of me?"  
  
"Stop that Logan and ski-dadle" Jean says severely. I surpress a chuckle, my little protégé, jean has always been my favorite, I know that's a terrible thing to say, I know I shouldn't make favorites, but she and Ororo are similar in one respect, motherhood, when jean gets a patient she acts like a disgruntled mother hen to anyone who disturbs them.  
  
"BUT"  
  
"Your distressing my patient now come on let go outside and I'll explain it to your" jean says through clenched teeth as she grabs his huge hand and heads pulls him towards the door  
  
"Oh all right, but someone better tell me what the hells going on!" he gives in, but it doesn't take a telepath to see the only reason he's complying is because it's jean. The two of them exit and murmured conversation can be heard through the walls, getting quieter and quieter as the move off.  
  
"Ebony" I say kindly, probing her mind gently to find the cause of this outburst "Ebony, I assure you wolverine will not hurt you, he is no longer under the control of these people, he knows what he's doing now, and I'm sure despite his attitude that he would never hurt a student of our school" I offer. I'm surprised to see bobby leaning over her and soothing her, stroking her hair,   
  
Bobby? Stroking a girl's hair in public? Will wonders never cease? 


	8. Ororo

I walked out of the infirmary and went into the history Class (in other words my greenhouse), surprised to find logan there, leaning his head against the on the wall, sheathing and unsheathing his claws, and generally looking displeased and dejected.  
  
"Logan?" I ask simply  
  
"IT AIN'T RIGHT!" He burst out angrily punching the wall, I'm surprised we don't have a hole in every wall in the mansion, but him and me are quite good friends really.  
  
"What's not right Logan" I soothe quietly  
  
"They can't do that, they shouldn't have done that to her" it takes me a moment to realize he's talking about ebony, the girl in the infirmary "It's bad enough they do it to me, BUT TO HER; to take someone at 14, she was just a kid, FOR GODS SAKES SHE STILL JUST A KID THEY CANT DO THEY SHOULDN'T DO THAT IF I EVER FIND EM I'LL"  
  
"LOGAN" I scream, I don't want him to lose his temper, he can be downright scary and sometimes well just plain dangerous when he does.  
  
"I'm sorry 'ro but it just makes me so mad that… that I can have no control that I can have no memory of the things I did, that I could hurt someone as young and as helpless as that girl, she just like rouge, and rogue is like my little sister you know that. IT makes me mad…that I have to find a way to apologize for something I don't remember, and never want to remember. Doing something that if I had had control, I would never have done. It ain't right, and it ain't fair, and so help me do if I ever see any of those punks, I'll make 'em pay big time.  
  
"I'm sure it will all work out in the end logan, and I agree that it is not right at all that someone so sweet and well innocent as that girl, could be treated in such a way, but that is not the important thing, the important thing is that when she lets you get close to her you apologize, and that we all make her feel welcome here and try to remind her that lfie an be good as well as bad. But if one day we ever meet 'those punks' as you call them, I'll delight in helping you 'kick their Asses' now I'm sorry my friend but I most go"  
  
He looks at me with surprise in his face, this isn't a side of me that shine through often but then neither is the side he showed just now, tender in a gruff sort of way, compassionate…  
And guilty 


	9. Bobby

Ebony's been let out of the infirmary today, her condition improved during the night and she's even running the obstacle course tomorrow.  
  
Only her and me know why she made such a big improvement in such a short time, why she's pretty much better apart from still being chesty and needing to take antibiotics.  
  
It all started this morning about 4am, I take that shift a lot, because that's when she wakes up, and I for one would rather have someone my own age with me when I woke up at that time in the morning. Adults are just no fun, plus its my chance to know that no ones gonna come in and I can talk to her privately, not that anything I say to her couldn't be said publicly, it's just… I don't know.  
I guess I value my time with her…  
Anyway, It seems lie I cheer her up, being a bit of a joker, and hey that's fine with me, if there is a god and he gave us each a purpose mine is to make people laugh.  
  
Anyway I digress, it was 4 am, about and I went down to see Ebs, and I met ogan on the way "Your up bright and early drake" I swear that man has never called me by my first name ever, he acts like everything with rogue was my fault, even when she was the one that broke MY heart.   
"This is my usual shift for watching ebony, we're all keeping an eye on her in case she needs anything in the night… she usually wakes up about now" I try to remain civil  
"Oh can I come see her"  
"Let me see the man she more scared of than any horror movie? At 4 am? I don't think soo…" I quip.  
"Drake don't push me"  
"Push you, I'm not even touching you"  
"oh your so funny I forgot to laugh"  
"Shut up Logan"  
"Look drake I just want"  
"YOU JUST WANT WHAT? To scare her to make her see what a big tough hard rebel guy you are, to recruit her to the club of "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN" ers? I mean that's what you do with most people, isn't it?"  
"Don't lecture me drake I'm older and stronger than you and I ain't taking any crap I Ain''t gonna be penalized for something I Can't remember doing! Maybe not now, maybe not today, MAYBE NOT TOMMOROW"  
"Don't talk loud you'll wake her up"  
"Like you just didn't But that's not it drake, one of these days you people have to let me near enough to her so I can apologize an' I won't take no for an answer"  
"Maybe one day soon but not now, so piss of back to bed"  
"FINE drake, but this ain't over!" he turns and stalks off the hall.  
  
Jerk  
  
I push open the infirmary door, and she's standing, beautiful in what little moonlight seeps through the high window of the infirmary that just peeks above the ground outside. Her black hair is silver from the light in places, her face lit flatteringly, and her figure light and airy. For a moment I could almost believe she was a moon beam lady my mum used to tell me stories about when I was little, that she would disappear laughing if I reached out and touched her.  
  
"Ebs" I say softly o let her know I'm here, she turns wound, smile shyly, like a child caught with her hand in the cooky jar "you should be in bed" I tease.  
"I heard you two argueing"  
"Sorry for waking you up"  
"Thanks"  
For a moment I don't realise what she means, but I guess she's talking about keeping logan away from her  
"That's ok" I reply  
"I need to go outside"  
"WHAT?"  
"Shss"  
the last thing you need to do is go outside at 4 am when it snowing you'll make it owrse"  
"No it I won't, I need, I need to touch the earth don't ask me to explain I just have to. It will help, just trust me"  
"I don't know why I'm doing this but…"  
  
Afterwards I was glad to have trusted her, when she touched the earth, she scooped the snow away first, but there was this green spark and she seemed to feel a lot better for it, I think that's part of her powers. I remember now, endurance, increased by touching the earth, it's not like wolverines healing factor but it helps her fight sickness and stuff, helps her by strong.  
  
Nice power to have, must come in useful, most of her powers are quite defensive when I think about it.  
  
Defensive, if I could sum Ebs up in one word that would be 


	10. Ebony

It's been how many days since I arrived here? Two, yes two, and I'm out of the infirmary, I'm still taking anti biotics for the bronchitis, but I've got my strength back, added endurance willd o that for you, and after my miraculous improvement this morning, no one questioned me when I said I was alright for taking their obstacle course tommorow.   
  
Only bobby and me know the real story behind that Improvement.  
  
It was early morning, he always seemed to volunteer for that shift, It was when I usually woke up, I don't sleep very well I go to bed early most day, and wake up early too, and maybe he knows that, maybe he knows I feel so much more comfortable talking to him than anyone else in the x men, maybe because he's my age, an rogue is well… she's but, she's depressing. Bobby is the opposite he always knows just what to say to make you feel better to make you laugh; looking at them I wonder who they could ever have been a couple.  
  
Ororo told me that, that they dated.  
  
Ororo, she's like a mother to me, and jean is like a big sister.   
  
I can't even remember my real mother anymore.  
  
I turn on the shower in my new room, their considering me for the x-men rather than just the school, I mean Logan did it, and anyway I need rest that I won't get in a dorm room for a few days so Jean suggested to Xavier or perhaps I should start calling him uncle, I just can't somehow, bring myself to call him father, There's something about him that makes me uncomfortable. Xavier, our grand and gracious benefactor, or our jailor whichever way you chose to look at it.  
  
I've just never been comfortable with authority.  
  
The It feels wonderful to have the water pounding onto my skin, soothing taunght muscles refreshing me.  
  
I can't believe it can feel so good just to be clean,  
I can't believe I haven't had a proper shower like this, (one that doesn't consist of barely a trickle of water or being dumped in a cold river at dawn.) in four years.  
  
I can't believe this is how my life turned out.  
  
  
And suddenly I let out a small whimper, fall to the bottom of the battub, crawl back into the corner hug my knees, rock my self and cry and scream and bawl like a baby.  
BECAUSE it's not fair, it just isn't. I was 14, 14 year olds are supposed to worry about acne and boyfriends not whether they'll still be alive tomorrow, or whether they've worked hard enough for a meal that day.  
  
It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair,   
  
  
It's not fair. 


	11. Bobby

I knock on her door, first day of school in 4 years for her. Man I find that hard to imagine, for pone moment I envy her then I realize how stupid that sounded, envy a girl who's been in a military compound since she was 14, who's slept behind bar for four years, alone.  
  
Sucks to be Ebony.  
  
I knock on the door and she doesn't take long to answer, the outfit she's borrowed is plain, a pair of old jeans torn at the midrift which looks like kitty's and a red sweater that looks a little to big for her, probably belongs to 'Ro or Jean.  
  
She's been crying, it doesn't look like she slept well at all, although her hair is in order, (scraped back tightly in a conservative ponytail) there are bags under her eyes and her face is drawn.  
  
"Are you ok?" I ask. DOH! Bobby drake, master of witty conversation, ladies man extraordinaire.  
  
I wish  
  
She smiles at me, either unphased or downright amused by my untactful greeting "good morning to you too, and yeah I didn't sleep that well" she says.  
"Sorry" I apologize. I apologize for everything but the careless question, I apologize for her life and how it turned out, I apologizing for liking her, maybe even loving her when a mans attentions are probably the last thing she needs. I apologize for the fact that I'm me, and not the prince charming she deserves.  
  
"Don't worry about it bobby, honestly your as bad as me sometimes, come on., lets get breakfast, do you know I can't even remember the last time I had frosties?" she fakes a melodramatic sigh  
  
"Can't remember frosties? Why that terrible, we must right this horrible wrong at once!" I quip with a laugh, she grins wider then, but she doesn't laugh. Mind you with the sadness that's in her eyes if I knew what she knew, I wouldn't laugh either.  
  
I think it's that that keeps me coming to her I'm curious about who she is, about what it would be like to see her laugh, to see fire dance in those brown black eyes of her, passion... anything but sadness.  
  
I just want to see her laugh. 


	12. Ebony

I think I'm in love  
  
Love, that's a foreign word to me, you weren't allowed to fall in love in weapon x, love was a weakness, love meant that one person pushed your buttons and could easily get you killed.  
  
Weapon x wouldn't stand for weakness.  
  
I can't remember my parents I can't remember being loved, but I think maybe he feels the same towards me. The whole day through except when classes tore us apart, and that wasn't often, the whole day through he stayed by me, fooling around joking, introducing me to his friends, making me smile… making me laugh!  
  
Laugh, God that's something I haven't done in a while, it felt so good just to let it all go and howl with laughter, I could have rolled on the floor but that would have been embarrassing, everyone found it funny, no one found it as funny as me, and I don't think some of them understood, but that's ok.  
  
HE takes care of me, looks out fore me, he doesn't ignore me, dismiss me as a ateam mate, or simply a strategically factor, or a potential enemy, like I'm used to being treated. He goes out of his way to be kind to me, to include me to make me feel wanted…special.  
  
Bobby.  
  
Bobby drake,  
  
Robert drake  
  
Robert,  
  
Bobby  
  
All names that put a smile on my face. 


	13. Bobby

She laughed earlier today,  
  
John and me were fooling around in the painting class, getting it on each others hand faces, and some our clothes. After john got a whole load of green paint on my favourite sweater I decided to go for a sneak attack, I waited till things had calmed down and the walked up behind them. I asked him something I don't remember what now, but he turned round to answer, and quick as a flash St john had a big splodge of red on his nose. Somewhere in the back one of the girls started to giggle, and his girlfriend Jubilee started to sing   
  
"Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose"  
  
Ebony laughed so hard Jean turned round and glared at her, Jean's face made her laugh even more, she even fell out of her chair, and that set everyone else off. Jean just shook her head and joined in.  
  
God she so beautiful when she laughs, so different, her whole ace lights up. Her eyes are like wildfire sparkling with tears of mirth that look like pearls. Her mouth opens and she's got the cutest dimples, Her hair in that ponytail swings back and forth like a pendulum, she's gorgeous. I thought of her like a moonbeam tangible but fragile untouchable, and she can be beautiful when she's sad, but when she's happy, oh lord, heaven has to be missing an angel! She's a sunbeam, not a moonbeam full of fun and energy, of all the things that make life worth living.  
  
I love her. 


	14. Ebony

It's the day after the day I realized I loved him. I'm outside in the forest, wondering at the turn my life has taken, I passed the test in their combat zone yesterday, bobby said I was really cool. I told him being skilled at taking human life, even a simulation of it, was nothing to be proud of. Bobby smiled at me, like he understood what I was trying to say, like he understood not completely but understood, ororo overheard, smiled at me, told me I was wise beyond my years, I smiled back.   
  
Ororo, mother  
  
X-men, family  
  
Words that are starting to mean something again, I smile to myself.   
  
"Heya darlin', what ya smiling at"  
  
Logan, enemy…now that's a word I'm familiar with.   
  
He sits down beside me attempts to put a friendly arm around me, "Don't call me darlin'" I mutter.  
"Look kid, I don't know what I did while I was in weapon x. I can't remember who I hurt I can't remember if I had a girlfriend I left back their, a friend I can't remember something you can…and I envy you for that…" He starts  
  
"IF YOU REMEMBERED WHAT I DO, YOU?D WISH YOU'D FORGOTTEN!" I scream cutting him off  
  
"Look kid, calm down, I didn't mean it like that"  
  
"No, you listen to me, I spent 4 years in the compound, you spent 3 and you were their favourite; their killing machine their baby! You were rewarded all the time for killing; but you didn't take it; you killed because you had to not because you wanted to! You didn't like hurting people but you did it, but you weren't the worst person there oh no, even though you were the most violent, "the best at what you did" isn't that what you always said? Huh? OH But you weren't the worse, the worse were people like Sabretooth, people who went so crazy they ended up liking what we did, they ,killed and felt no regret, heck they even ENJOYED it. Do you have ANY IDEA, what it's like to be one of the few girls' in a team full of men, and the youngest? DO you have ANY IDEA what it's like to be tortured half the time because you wouldn't kill someone on a mission? To be the one they hated most, In all my time there, I never, killed anyone because I didn't want to end up killing till I didn't feel anything anymore, till I ended up like you, or worse till I ended up LIKING it, like Sabretooth! I was their scout, I betrayed countless people's secrets and I can still here every single one of them scream! AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO TELL ME YOU ENVY ME FOR BEING ABLE TO REMEMBER ALL THIS, YOU BASTARD YOU COMPLETE BASTARD!" I rant, I just keep yelling and I can't stop, tears pour down my face and I yowl in exasperation. I unsheathe my claws, and stab them into the tree in annoyance. I just get more annoyed when I can't get 'em out  
  
"You stuck kid" he grins at me  
  
I growl at the back of my throat, but his grin is so infuriating I have to laugh  
  
"There" he says with satisfaction "I figured you needed to yell at me, and get it off your chest, you been glowerin' or cowerin' away from me all weekend, and if it makes you feel better, I can't remember what I did in weapon x, but I'm sorry. You're a good kid that fell in with a bad crowd, life dealt you a hand you didn't deserve and I'm sorry for that too." He walks over, and pop out one claw, cutting my hand free, and I grin back at him, tension disappearing  
  
"Thanks," I mutter, sheathing my claw I turn to walk off in the direction of the beach, this is his patch of the forest and I can see that now, but then I've always like the see "Oh and wolvie"  
  
"Yeah kid?"  
  
"Don't call me kid!"  
  
"Sure…k…ebony" 


	15. Ebony

Down in the cove there's hardly any snow covering the sand. I take of my shoes and walk barefoot along the shore; the water's stupidly warm this time of year. Without really thinking about it I reach out with my powers feeling the earth. I let myself slip into the world of nature, I can feel and hear the waves of the ocean as I they were part of my, tugging at my heart and mind and should, I can feel the buzz from the mansion where people are going to sleep. I can feel two, not one but two people in the forest as If they were walking over my skin. Further away, the town of Salem Centre, Westchestchir, the enclosed claustrophobic feeling I get from most towns is less here, but I veer off anyway, losing myself in the nearby forest.  
  
That's when I feel it… THEM  
  
My eyes widen and my face contorts in a grimace as I snap back to myself, I wanted more time, needed more time, but I know their on to me, trying to take me back, and I also know, that I can't endanger the people I've come to care about here, friends family, and the boy I've come to…care for? Love. YES DMANIT I admit it I think I'm in love with him, so I can't hurt my family I have to go.  
  
But that doesn't mean I don't hate it.  
  
I sneak up to my room after I know everyone's asleep, I don't have any possession, but I'll probably need some money, I think. Softly I sneak down to hall to Bobby's room, slipping in as silently as a ghost. I find his wallet I take 15 dollars…  
  
I leave a note and my jacket on the bed,  
  
There's only one thing left to do..  
  
I leave another note slipped under wolverines, door, he isn't back from the forest yet. There's only a few lines on that one, bobby's is a lot longer.  
  
  
Logan's simply reads   
  
To a friend,  
I'm sorry I yelled, I'm sorry It took a while to trust you, and I never told you I forgave you for what happen, but I don't think I needed to, get them to show you the files I brought,   
  
If you really want to remember that is.  
I have to leave, because their coming, I can't say anymore  
Earthsight (Ebony). 


	16. Logan

I went to bed late, I'd stayed up in the forest a while just thinkin like I normally do, but I didn't notice the note, I didn't notice it till the next morning, when I was awakened by someone knocking… LOUDLY …on my door.  
  
I opened it and the icicle is standing there looking frantic, he looks so frantic and upset I feel just the tiniest bit of pity "whad'ya want drake? " I grumble softly   
  
"EBS IS GONE" He screams wildly  
"huh" I utter, what time is anyway, it feels to early for this 7 on a Saturday I rarely wake before noon.  
"I said, Ebs is gone!" he reapeats frantically  
"Ebs?" I ask confused  
"EBONY" he yells in exasperation, shoving a letter in my face.  
  
iDear Bobby,  
  
It starts  
  
iI had to go I'm sorry, but their after me weapon x,   
Please don't tell the others, though I'll think no less of you if you ignore me and do tell tem,  
I ran because I didn't want any of you, people I'm beginning to consider friends or family, to get hurt, I ran because I was afraid for all of you.  
  
Please understand, please don't hate me my friend. You always make me smile drake, you always make me laugh, and you're the best friend I've ever had,  
  
something was crossed out with loads of lines there, and faded the whole lot was fade, she'd been crying as she wrote it. But I think the words said "maybe more", any way I keep on reading the letter, stupid kid, she shouldn't have run.  
  
iI'm going to miss you.  
Te amo,  
Ebs.   
  
"Shit" I say simply, drake looks at me with pleading eyes "we gotta get the others and go after her Logan, we have to, we can't let her go it alone, what if they recapture her"  
  
The mere thought makes me growl, I'll be damned if they get that little girl she's a good kid and I ain't letting those punks hurt her again, I said I was sorry, now it's time to prove it, and friends don't abandon their friends  
  
"You get One eye, I'll get chuck" I reply, dashing along the corridor, I hear him sprint of the other way.  
  
Ten minutes later, everyone is assembled outside the door to Cerebro it's surprising how quickly people begin to mean something to you. Remy doesn't look to concerned, but rogue's got her hands baled into fists and looks worried, she didn't even know that much about ebony, she just knows how it feels to run, like I do. Rogue, my little girl,   
What the hell am I thinking just now? This isn't about rogue, it's about the kid, I know this sounds stupid but I have to help her or I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable with myself again, I feel in some way that if I have her, it goes some way to making up for all the sins I may have committed in my life.  
  
Plus she's a good kid, and everyone else seems to feel the same, Storm looks tense, and smells of worry. Jean has her lips pursed in that little frown thing she does whenever something's up, Cyclops is frowning visibly behind his glasses and Drake? Don't even get me started on drake.  
  
Like I said its weird how quickly some people can touch others hearts. 


	17. Bobby

The jet landed in stealth mode, storm darkening the sky to help, hum looks like snow, we land in a clearing of a thick area of the woods. We step out down the ramp, walking slowly, or rather the others walk, I run impatient to find her.  
  
*Bobby* the voice calls in my head  
  
(WHAT) I sanp irated  
  
*Go find her, Logan can sense other people around, try and convince her not to run, she's freaked, and she trusts you, too many people and she'll just run straight off, we'll be waiting here*  
  
(Which way?) I start to run again,   
  
*up to the north, On the ridge*  
  
(…Thanks jean)  
  
I veer off in the direction Jean indicated, pushing myself hard, have to get to her, to Ebony, before tis too late. Jean said Logan sensed other people around, and judging by the circumstances, I have no doubt who they are.  
  
If I meet any of them I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind.  
  
But their not what's important to me, Ebony is, I may not be prince charming, I may not be a Knight in shining white armour, I may not even be a knight, but I'll just have to do damnit!  
She needs rescuing, and I plan on doing it…  
  
Even if she doesn't realize she needs help.  
  
I break out of the forest onto the rise, see her standing on the ridge, lit up against the early morning sun, black against orange yellow and red. Moon beam against sunbeam, looking as if she's on fire where the light plays over her black setting of reflections of different colours, beautiful.  
  
"Hello Bobby" she says without even turning round. 


	18. Ebony

"You came" I say   
"Yes" He replies  
"You brought the others" I say, two glittering tears half frozen on my cheeks. I sensed them through the earthlink off to the south, I also sensed the sliders, coming for me, a showdown, the very thing I was trying to avoid, is now inevitable. I'm not one to put on a big performance, I like to slip out quietly like a thief in the night, that's what I did when I escaped, wolverine caused a ruckus and busted through the fence. I waited, I bided my time and when we were on that mission… I waited, and when they thought I was dead, I waited, and when they disappeared…. I ran.  
  
I don't like to make a fuss, I don't like showdowns and yet….  
  
And yet I'm glad they came.  
  
"Why?" I whisper to myself, he crosses over to me, thinking I was talking to him; he puts his arms around my shoulders.  
"Because we care about you Ebs, X-men don't abandon their friends. Besides as wolverine so aptly put it this morning when we were on the plane "These punks need ta be taught a lesson".  
I smile at that, better smile than cry…again; I have shed far to many tears in my time.  
"Friends" I murmur  
"Friends he whispers, I turn to look at him, my bare feet brushing the hollow I dug in the snow, touching the cold hard bare earth, and danger flashes in my mind.  
  
It must have shown on my face "What?" He asks  
"Their here," I whisper, panic exploding in my stomach as I say the words, I don't want to go back, I want to stay, I want ….I want to live. I turn to run, but his hand, ice cold now as he shifts form, his hand encircles my waist, turning me back again towards him.  
  
"Not that, way" He says, taking my hand "I won't let them hurt you again Ebony, but you have to trust me"  
  
Trust, what a novelty, and yet I do, I let him tug at my hand, lead me to a run, pull me back into the forest, towards whatever fate awaits us, I almost hope we do run into the soldiers, or 'those punks' a s wolverine calls them, I almost hope I get to watch them die on the end of my claws, slowly painfully…  
  
Almost. 


	19. Jean Grey

"They're to the west of us, they'll be here in a few minutes, " I say aloud, concentrating My mind on the soldiers "Bobby and Ebony are heading back…" an amused smile crosses my face, those two, what's it gonna take to get them to admit they like each other? I debate a slight telepathic nudge, but that would be imoral. She frowns then "But I don't think they'll make it all the way here without being cut off."  
  
"What do you suggest" Storm asks, addressing both Scott and me, we look at each other, assessing the situation telepathically, and then he speaks up   
"Why what do you think storm?" He grins coldy "we're going to host them a welcome party of course" I smile at that, Scott doesn't get angry often but I know when he is, and cracking jokes like that one definitely means he's starting to take things to heart, I love him for that…  
  
Speaking of angry  
  
"That, one eye, " Logan snaps "Is the most sensible thing you ever said, let's get going already, he tears off into the trees, in search of someone to slice and dice, I shake my head fondly, and a strand of hair comes free of my bun, I slip it back with an exasperated sigh.  
"Yeah lets go Scott…Mr summers" Marie says with resignation   
"Onward to glory" Storm says with a grin, summoning the winds and flying up into the air, I've improved my control over my powers a lot since the incident with the statue of liberty.  
  
"Not so fast, we'll take him in group I'll lead one with Jean, Storm you can lead the other, take gambit and we'll meet up with Logan in a minute" My fiancé says, planning everything out in his head already.  
I know Scott's only saying that because he doesn't want to make sure Logan doesn't gut TOO many people  
  
Good luck to him on that, I can sense in his thought patterns that Logan is out for revenge here, and a vengeful Logan is a feral Logan, and a feral Logan.. .  
  
Is most definitely harder to control  
  
"All right, we'll take left, you take right, and Logan will as usual go for a frontal assault" I sigh, and Remy lets out a short bark of a laugh, I glare, and he shuts up.  
"Lets go" Cyclops say, and on that note, begins another extraordinary battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, in other words the bad guys and us. 


	20. Ororo

We surprised them and that gave us the advantage, we came at them from both sides, which also gave them an advantage, we have mutant powers, they don't which give us an adavnatge.  
  
But there are so many of them, and that give them an advantage.  
  
The fight's been raging for about ten minutes now, all of us fighting in little groups, Jean keeps u all linked by telepathy, staying out of the main path of fire, she directs us all and alerts us to danger. Scott stands as near to her as he can be and not put her in danger, stay in the fight, he waits for them to run forward to attack him, then he blasts them, his visor having more range than they're guns.   
  
He's beginning to get tired.  
  
Rogue and Remy are in the middle of the fight, rogue gained invulnerability and super strength from one of our enemies, permanently, although that wasn't meant to happen. The professor helped her deal with it, and now she considers it as an advantage. Remy charges card, throwing them and his enemies, faces, or at the trees, causing them to topple on to them, but only when he's sure it won't hurt any of his team mates, rouge flies up in the air,another one of her new powers, dropping one of the soldiers onto his team mates and generally causing chaos in their little group.  
  
Wolverine charges in, under the influences of a full bezerker rage, but I don't worry about him, his healing factor takes care of everything they throw at him, and then some as he batters them mercilessly.  
  
They deserve it.  
  
That sounds cold-hearted I know, not like me at all, but it true they do, for what they did to him to her, to countless other mutants we know nothing of, they created a monster like Sabretooth, and some of them beg for forgiveness before me when I use a lightning bolt to strike them down. They dare to ask for forgiveness? It makes me sick, I fell regret for the ones I actually have to kill not knock out, but every time I look over at wolverine, or wonder how Bobby and Ebony are faring wherever they are in the woods, it just strengthens my resolve.  
  
I'm leading a small group of the soldiers away from the group now, they try and hunt me, now that they know we're here we'll make a fine prize, but only if they survive long enough to catch us.  
  
Over on the main battlefield, wolverine lets out a roar of rage as they fire one of their larger weapons at him, I look over temporarily distracted, and feel a spot of pain blossom in the middle of my backl  
  
"UGH" I cry, falling to the ground hard, dazed and unable to lift myself, 5 mien stand grinning at me.   
"Get one of the negator collars," commands one of the men "And you, you little mutie biutch don't move a muscle"  
"Wait a minute!" One of the men cries, he looks slightly out of place, he's not wearing their uniform, just thick khaki coloured pants and a heavy leather jacket, his long black hair scraped back in a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck, his features suggesting a north America Indian heritage. Where he not the enemy, he'd be handsome  
"What can't I do forge" the leader of the group challenges.  
  
"She's a civilian, you can't just clap her in chains and force her to fight for you!" he exclaims, wait a minute isn't that the whole point of weapon x, what's going on here? Doesn't he know who he's working for?  
"Why not that's how we get all our recruits"  
"But you said that the operation was just to recapture a deserter, you said the girl joined of her own free will, but went mad and ran off on the last mission, you said she was a dangerous and seasoned army member, with years of experience!"  
"Well they all seem pretty experienced to me, who cares anyway, they're just a bunch of muties"  
"But..:" the man protest  
"Listen forge, your inventions have been very useful those far, but if you get in our way, you will be disposed off, comprendo"  
  
I decide to intervene, I've kept quiet throughout the whole talk, but if the man has been lied to he may be swayed to our side, he looks none to comfortable with the thiught of muties perhaps  
  
*He is one 'ro he has Invention powers, tell him about Ebony, Get him to help you, try that, we can't get anyone over right now but if you at least stall them I'll try and get Logan, it may not be necessary though, he looks like he's starting to doubt… if you can get him to distract them…* Jean's thoughts take shape in my mind.  
  
(Understood jean) I respond mentally  
  
"She's just 18" I cough, making the men look at me  
"Shut up bitch" the Captain responds, turning back to galre at the other man, who turns to me  
"What?" He asks, his eyes burning  
"The girl, the girl they want back, she's just 15 they picked her off the streets, and she spent r years living in a stinking cell, that's not right… even if she is a 'mutie'"  
"I SAID SHUT UP BITCH!" the captain glares, pointing his gun at me, only to be punched to the floor by the guy with the poiytail…forge.  
  
"It's not polite to yell at a lady" He says, glaring at the man at his feet, oblivious of the three other men with guns pointed at his back or just very brave. "And it is certainly not acceptable, to pick whatever young child you feel like taking off the street and away from their families and homes to turn them into killing machines" He doesn't raise his voice but you can tell he's angry, his eye burn with rage even as he talks slowly softly, politely "you make me sick!" he finishes with a growl, hand balled into fist, tensed and ready to spring into action  
"I wouldn't have done that if I were you," the captain sneers, raising a hand for his men to fire, at this range there's no way they can miss…  
  
BOOM,  
  
A strike of lightning goes off, three men lie dead on the floor, and the captain faints clean away, the man… I mean forge, gives him a contemptuous kick, then turns to me, staring. For a moment neither of us say anything, there is nothing to say: you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. why did you do that for me? I know what you are. All of those are things that do not need to be said with words, they are said with a simple glance between us.  
  
Finally I speak "Well are you going to stare at me all day or are you going to help me up?" I ask.  
"well it's a nice view" He wisecracks with a smile, even as I feel heat rising to my cheeks (DAMNIT I WILL NOT BLUCH I will NOT BY THE GODESS I WILL NoT!) I think to myself with a scowl, "But I think that we'd better not stay still for too long" he finishes, offering a hand, I take it to pull myself up, but cry out a soon as my left foot touches the ground.   
  
"What's the matter" He asks with concern,  
"My ankle, my left one…" I whisper softly, "I think I must have sprained it when I fell"  
"Do you want me to leave you here and come back, or do you want me to take you further away from the battle" He asks, dropping down beside me, concern filling his tender hazelnut eyes as he looks at me.  
"I don't know let me think" I say softly   
(Jean) I think trying to catch my friends attention  
*Yes 'ro… your all right that's great! What do you need?*  
(Can I trust him to take me back to the Jet? I've hurt my ankle)  
*Yes, yes you can, Bobby and Ebony are heading there as well, they're almost their already, they'll probably be there when you get there*  
(Thanks jean)  
  
I turn to the man; he is rather handsome and he's still looking at me intently (Don't blush, don't you dare blush) I tell myself firmly   
"We came here, in a Jet, " I tell him softly "If you can help me hobble back to it, I can rest there."  
He nods gently, hooking an arm under mine, lifting me to my feet and supporting me as I balance on one foot.  
  
This is definitely not what is expected of a goddess, but then expectations are silly things anyway. 


	21. Ebony

We run through the forest, I can hear the sounds of battle away to our west, I can hear gunshots, wolverine's roar as he charges in but we can't see anything, we're to far away for that. Light may travel quicker than sounds, but sound can travel further, especially when sight is obstructed by row upon row of closely growing trees. I pause a second in mid flight, straining towards the battle, trying to see what's going on trying to see if maybe I can help   
"C'mon!" bobby say urgently, tugging at my hand, I realise that I never noticed something about him, he's nearly exactly the same height as me, barely an inch taller, I don't know why I hadn't noticed it but I hadn't.  
  
I let myself be tugged into action again, we're near the jet now he assures me, flicking out a tool to flick it out of stealth mode, we push through into the clearing, just as I sense the danger…  
"LOOK OUT" I yell. Pushing him down to the ground as we tumble into the clearing, the shot passes over our heads with a whistle, leaving a hole in the tree behind us. In a split second I've rolled off of Bobby and I'm on my feet, claws unsheathed, I can here him Ice up behind me, getting to his feet  
  
"Hello Ebony" one of the group of three men, that stand between us and the jet says "Remember me?" he asks  
  
"Alex Mclain" I say calmly, not letting the combination of rage and fear I feel show through in my voice, Bobby stay back, has the sense not to interfere with personal business, he takes position behind me, keeping an eye on the other two.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy recapturing you Ebony, and it's gonna be rough, remember what you did to my eye?" he says, pointing at the three marks, just below his left eye.  
"I'm going to enjoy killing you Alex, remember what you did to my arm?" I hold up my left arm, the one with the claws  
"You don't have the nerve ebony" He laughs, and my blood begins to boil "You never had the nerve to kill anyone"  
"WELL IN YOUR CASE I'LL BLOODY WELL MAKE AN EXCEPTION" I yell flinging myself at him, His two lackeys point my guns at them, but two well-aimed Icicles from my friend and those guns are useless. The stupid lackeys knocked out from the sparks of electricity that fizzled out of them.  
  
I block the rest of the world out, my attention focused on the man that has been the source of most of my troubles in life, the man that bought me off some stupid sheriff when I was rotting quiet happily in a cell in Puerto Rica on a seven month sentence, strange seven month sentence when it last four bleeping years ain't it? This is the man that surgically grafted this glove to my skin, this glove that weighs down my arm, that took me a year to get used to sleeping with it on, that render my left arm difficult to use, this glove that'll I'll never be able to take off, that even if the x-men win today and I don't get taken back to the compound, will be a constant reminder of what my life was…  
  
Even when I long to forget!  
  
I Sheathe my claws as he loses his gun, both of us roll across the forest, floor, I kick him in the groin, he punches me in the Jaw, I kick him in the ribs he punches me in the teeth measure for measure as we tussle, frantically, I'm beginning to tire, He flips me over, bearing down on me with his full weight, hand cocked to punch me in the middle of the face, to render me unconscious and end it all. At least my part in it, but then bobby might try to protect me and he might kill him, or worse, and that I cannot allow. "Time to die" he says with a smile "NO" I yell, shifting my weight and pushing up with my knees, kicking him off of me and onto the ground. He raises himself to his feet ready to attack again, but I'm already there, I spin kick him and there's a resounding crash of metal banging on flesh as he hits his head against the invisible Jet, slumping down into a sitting position against it, I run over to him, straddle him negligently and unsheathe my claws, placing them under is throat.  
  
My eyes are hard as I say with a smile "Time to die Alex" I'm going to enjoy killing him, revenge is after all a dish best served cold, and after four years mine has spent a long time cooling. I can feel bobby tense up behind me though as Alex's eyes widen and his voice breaks "No please have mercy" he begs, I'm surprised at that, do I look that scary, have I changed that much in those few instants that he's not laughing anymore? I wonder what I look like to Bobby; does he want to make me laugh now? For a moment my hatred of this one person overwhelms anything else, and I'm not sure I care…  
  
"MERCY?" I laugh, tossing back my head "MERCY? IS that what you showed me Alex, 4 years in a cell as the youngest member of a team, being experimented on, being trained by being left defenceless in the same cell as your top killing machine, BEING LEFT TO DIE ALL ALONE IN THE WOODS, IS THAT MERCY ALEX? IF THAT'S MERCY HERE SOME FOR YOU RIGHT NOW!" I yell, Arching my claws, back he tenses, trying to push his jaw down and cover his throat but I use my right hand to pinch his face and keep him still. "his eye widen more, focussing on the three shining blades that glitter above him,  
  
"WAIT " he screams frantically as I start to bring them down, I pause in mid air "IF YOU KILL ME your no better than me, your no better than Sabretooth!" He grins at me now, triumphant "If you let me go you'll have missed your revenge, and maybe I'll hurt others, but if you kill me your as bad as me, even dieing Ebony I still put you on the spot" I glare at him now, it's true damn him. Strangely though, right now becoming a monster isn't the only problem with killing him, if I do, bobby will watch me, what will he think if he sees me kill this man in cold blood, he may not have said anything now, but I doubt he approves, the tension in the air is so thick you could cut it with a knife. If I kill this man, will my friend, my crush, think I am a monster, will they all think of me as a monster? Will the whole team think I'm a monster? Will I just be proving all the people who say that mutants are death worthy right if I do this? For one instant it's like the world is resting on my shoulders, if I make the wrong decision, will I burn in hell? That's what worries me least really; I've never been religious.  
  
Bobby speaks up finally" Ebony please, let's just get back in the jet, Knock him out tie em up and leave him for the cold, please?"   
  
I bring the claws down again…  
  
Slashing three quick marks across Alex's face "One good hit deserves another hey Alex"? I whisper standing, up, the mans so scared he's fainted clean away, I sigh in exasperation   
"You disgust me" I tell the unconscious man, kicking him in the head, hard.  
  
"Tsk tsk tsk" bobby comes up behind me "That wasn't very ladylike" he puts an arm round my shoulder trying to ease me out of fight mode, to calm me down, I appreciate the effort,  
"Well I ain't no lady, I grumble but let him, draw me a little closer to him, "and I didn't kill him, even though I wanted to so badly it hurt so you should be happy" I break free of his grip gently, flicking the switch so the Jet becomes visible and walking towards the ramp to go and see if I can find some rope.  
"I was only joking Ebony, and hey Ebs" he says, calling after me  
"What?" I sigh turning round  
"I'm proud of you" He says, holding my gaze until I have to smile. Even though I still hate Alex, still don't give a damn whether he lives or dies, in fact I'd probably prefer it if he did; despite all tht I know I made the right choice.  
  
And I'm glad.  
  
"Ebony, what happened here" Ororo's voice  
I turn round "It's a long story, 'ro say who's the guy with the ponytail?"  
"Someone who's been lied to, and before is tell you the whole story you got to promise not to knock him out like you did the other man"  
"that depends" I say sternly "On whether you help me find some rope to tie 'the other man' up with" I finish with a grin, quiet franckly, I'm feeling forgiving Alex's face when he realises I beat him, and that I'm gonna leave him in alone in the snow filled forest with no gun. 


	22. Ebony

We run through the forest, I can hear the sounds of battle away to our west, I can hear gunshots, wolverine's roar as he charges in but we can't see anything, we're to far away for that. Light may travel quicker than sounds, but sound can travel further, especially when sight is obstructed by row upon row of closely growing trees. I pause a second in mid flight, straining towards the battle, trying to see what's going on trying to see if maybe I can help   
"C'mon!" bobby say urgently, tugging at my hand, I realise that I never noticed something about him, he's nearly exactly the same height as me, barely an inch taller, I don't know why I hadn't noticed it but I hadn't.  
  
I let myself be tugged into action again, we're near the jet now he assures me, flicking out a tool to flick it out of stealth mode, we push through into the clearing, just as I sense the danger…  
"LOOK OUT" I yell. Pushing him down to the ground as we tumble into the clearing, the shot passes over our heads with a whistle, leaving a hole in the tree behind us. In a split second I've rolled off of Bobby and I'm on my feet, claws unsheathed, I can here him Ice up behind me, getting to his feet  
  
"Hello Ebony" one of the group of three men, that stand between us and the jet says "Remember me?" he asks  
  
"Alex Mclain" I say calmly, not letting the combination of rage and fear I feel show through in my voice, Bobby stay back, has the sense not to interfere with personal business, he takes position behind me, keeping an eye on the other two.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy recapturing you Ebony, and it's gonna be rough, remember what you did to my eye?" he says, pointing at the three marks, just below his left eye.  
"I'm going to enjoy killing you Alex, remember what you did to my arm?" I hold up my left arm, the one with the claws  
"You don't have the nerve ebony" He laughs, and my blood begins to boil "You never had the nerve to kill anyone"  
"WELL IN YOUR CASE I'LL BLOODY WELL MAKE AN EXCEPTION" I yell flinging myself at him, His two lackeys point my guns at them, but two well-aimed Icicles from my friend and those guns are useless. The stupid lackeys knocked out from the sparks of electricity that fizzled out of them.  
  
I block the rest of the world out, my attention focused on the man that has been the source of most of my troubles in life, the man that bought me off some stupid sheriff when I was rotting quiet happily in a cell in Puerto Rica on a seven month sentence, strange seven month sentence when it last four bleeping years ain't it? This is the man that surgically grafted this glove to my skin, this glove that weighs down my arm, that took me a year to get used to sleeping with it on, that render my left arm difficult to use, this glove that'll I'll never be able to take off, that even if the x-men win today and I don't get taken back to the compound, will be a constant reminder of what my life was…  
  
Even when I long to forget!  
  
I Sheathe my claws as he loses his gun, both of us roll across the forest, floor, I kick him in the groin, he punches me in the Jaw, I kick him in the ribs he punches me in the teeth measure for measure as we tussle, frantically, I'm beginning to tire, He flips me over, bearing down on me with his full weight, hand cocked to punch me in the middle of the face, to render me unconscious and end it all. At least my part in it, but then bobby might try to protect me and he might kill him, or worse, and that I cannot allow. "Time to die" he says with a smile "NO" I yell, shifting my weight and pushing up with my knees, kicking him off of me and onto the ground. He raises himself to his feet ready to attack again, but I'm already there, I spin kick him and there's a resounding crash of metal banging on flesh as he hits his head against the invisible Jet, slumping down into a sitting position against it, I run over to him, straddle him negligently and unsheathe my claws, placing them under is throat.  
  
My eyes are hard as I say with a smile "Time to die Alex" I'm going to enjoy killing him, revenge is after all a dish best served cold, and after four years mine has spent a long time cooling. I can feel bobby tense up behind me though as Alex's eyes widen and his voice breaks "No please have mercy" he begs, I'm surprised at that, do I look that scary, have I changed that much in those few instants that he's not laughing anymore? I wonder what I look like to Bobby; does he want to make me laugh now? For a moment my hatred of this one person overwhelms anything else, and I'm not sure I care…  
  
"MERCY?" I laugh, tossing back my head "MERCY? IS that what you showed me Alex, 4 years in a cell as the youngest member of a team, being experimented on, being trained by being left defenceless in the same cell as your top killing machine, BEING LEFT TO DIE ALL ALONE IN THE WOODS, IS THAT MERCY ALEX? IF THAT'S MERCY HERE SOME FOR YOU RIGHT NOW!" I yell, Arching my claws, back he tenses, trying to push his jaw down and cover his throat but I use my right hand to pinch his face and keep him still. "his eye widen more, focussing on the three shining blades that glitter above him,  
  
"WAIT " he screams frantically as I start to bring them down, I pause in mid air "IF YOU KILL ME your no better than me, your no better than Sabretooth!" He grins at me now, triumphant "If you let me go you'll have missed your revenge, and maybe I'll hurt others, but if you kill me your as bad as me, even dieing Ebony I still put you on the spot" I glare at him now, it's true damn him. Strangely though, right now becoming a monster isn't the only problem with killing him, if I do, bobby will watch me, what will he think if he sees me kill this man in cold blood, he may not have said anything now, but I doubt he approves, the tension in the air is so thick you could cut it with a knife. If I kill this man, will my friend, my crush, think I am a monster, will they all think of me as a monster? Will the whole team think I'm a monster? Will I just be proving all the people who say that mutants are death worthy right if I do this? For one instant it's like the world is resting on my shoulders, if I make the wrong decision, will I burn in hell? That's what worries me least really; I've never been religious.  
  
Bobby speaks up finally" Ebony please, let's just get back in the jet, Knock him out tie em up and leave him for the cold, please?"   
  
I bring the claws down again…  
  
Slashing three quick marks across Alex's face "One good hit deserves another hey Alex"? I whisper standing, up, the mans so scared he's fainted clean away, I sigh in exasperation   
"You disgust me" I tell the unconscious man, kicking him in the head, hard.  
  
"Tsk tsk tsk" bobby comes up behind me "That wasn't very ladylike" he puts an arm round my shoulder trying to ease me out of fight mode, to calm me down, I appreciate the effort,  
"Well I ain't no lady, I grumble but let him, draw me a little closer to him, "and I didn't kill him, even though I wanted to so badly it hurt so you should be happy" I break free of his grip gently, flicking the switch so the Jet becomes visible and walking towards the ramp to go and see if I can find some rope.  
"I was only joking Ebony, and hey Ebs" he says, calling after me  
"What?" I sigh turning round  
"I'm proud of you" He says, holding my gaze until I have to smile. Even though I still hate Alex, still don't give a damn whether he lives or dies, in fact I'd probably prefer it if he did; despite all tht I know I made the right choice.  
  
And I'm glad.  
  
"Ebony, what happened here" Ororo's voice  
I turn round "It's a long story, 'ro say who's the guy with the ponytail?"  
"Someone who's been lied to, and before is tell you the whole story you got to promise not to knock him out like you did the other man"  
"that depends" I say sternly "On whether you help me find some rope to tie 'the other man' up with" I finish with a grin, quiet franckly, I'm feeling forgiving Alex's face when he realises I beat him, and that I'm gonna leave him in alone in the snow filled forest with no gun. 


	23. Bobby

I'm so glad she didn't kill him  
  
I was afraid when she was standing over that that she would go mad and that she really would kill him in cold blood. Killing ok if its in self defence in the heat of battle, when it's them or you and you haven't got a choice. But when you have an option, when it all comes down to petty things like revenge or hate, or something, then that's when it becomes hard to define if its killing…or murder.  
  
I did laugh when she carved asshole into his neck though, heck that's probably the kind of think I'd do, or knock them out with an ice bat and draw on their faces with the nearest thing I could find. And I did get annoyed at how easily Ro trusted that forge guy, but Ro and Ebs calmed me down, and I a telepath aid he's ok well then, she can't be…THAT wrong can she?.  
  
And I do still like ebony  
  
But for one moment I feared I was losing her, when she laughed as she leaned over him with her claws out. The laugh that had made her looks so beautiful in the art room at school made her look ugly there, she looked… like a monster, her face was contort into this snide grin and didn't even look like hers anymore, and I thought This is how she'd be if she let them change her, I don't want her to get stuck like that, she looks like wolverine in one of his killing rages,  
  
And yet she's still beautiful and that's what's scary, but she didn't do it, she not a monster, she's a girl, and a wonderful one a that.  
  
Now I just need to find away to tell her that. 


	24. Ebony

Everyone's happily crowding round in the meeting room, Scott's issuing congratulations and ideas for improving everyone's combat, but not many people are listening,. I'm mercifully spared because he didn't see my fight; if he had I'm sure he would be saying something to me right now. It looked more like a high school brawl than a fight with any real technique.  
"Boring isn't he sometimes?" Bobby whispered in my ear.  
  
Seeing that no one is paying him any attention Scott sighs, "All right everyone, I'll just recap anything REALLY important before the next raining session or missing, dismissed  
  
I get up smiling at Bobby; I'm halfway through the door before Jean calls me back  
"Miss Cortez, you get you butt back here I wanna look at that face!" She yells at me, I cringe and turn around, bobby chuckles and gives me a sympathetic look.  
  
What is it about bruises that doctors always have to maul him? Huh? Why can't they leave em to heal by themselves like a normal person?  
  
When I finally get out I'm assaulted by two teenage girls that are staying for the Christmas hols, and were part of the body of students that gave me a demonstration day of school to help me learn where all the classes are and basically just fool around all day. Don't get me started on the painting class again, ho man! Not everyone stays at school for Christmas some of the mutants with families and less visible powers go home.  
  
So two teenaged females who although they were sensible the last time I saw them, are now the giggling wrecks I despised at school, drag me into the girl's toilets.  
  
Christmas eve has gone from bad to worse.  
  
When I ask them why the hell their so excited I get very weird looks from both of the,.  
"You mean you haven't heard, the boarding students have a Christmas prom tomorrow!" Jubilee squeals  
"Ahh…what's a prom?" I ask, yet another thing handily removed from my memory, next time I see him Alex is dead!  
  
Thunderstruck look from both girls "You mean you don't know!"  
"Hey, hey" I protest, pointing to myself, "Girl who had half her memory wiped remember"  
"OH my god, like EMERGANCY, Kitty, We just have to help her!"  
"Come on we'll take you shopping and you can pick out a dress" kitty suggests, taking my hand to lead me out of the toilets.  
  
"A DRESSS!" It's my turn to squeal  
"Yah you know, hose things, nice girls wear 'em sometimes?"  
"Yeah but…I'm not a nice girl, plus I really don't think any dress will go well with this little thing" I say, waving my left hand in the air so they can see the glove and claws, "and another thing, how the hell do you plan on the people in the mall not noticing this!" I mean I know how to solve that, but I'm hoping they'll give up the whole stupid Idea, me in a dress, uhm no way, and whatever this prom is it can't be good., I mean these two girls were decent conversation the last time I saw 'em, now look at them!  
  
"Oh that's ok" Kitty says, sticking her hand out of the toilet and seeing, rogue and gambit walk by "Hey rogue!" she calls "I need you a second get in here!"  
"Yeah?" She asks  
"Have you got your prom dress yet?"  
"uhm well" Rogue looks almost as out of place as me here, almost "well it so hard to find one which covers everything!" she says finally in annoyance  
"Gambit wears gloves to the proms half the time anyway don0t worry" Jubilee shrugs "Speaking of gloves, you wanna come along with us to find a prom dress for you and Ebony, an' can you lend her some of your gloves so we can take her to the mall?"  
"Sure" Rogue perks up, I swear this is the first time I've seen her happy since I've known her.  
  
Scary  
  
"Ok Just before we go please tell me in detail, WHAT THE HELL IS A PROM" I scream  
  
Deadly silence reigns for a few blessed moments before Jubilee pipes up again  
"It's like an evening for teenagers it's a dinner and then you dance, and then the queen and king of the prom are elected, but that's only the homecoming prom and some other times, I don't know If they'll do that tonight, and the teachers put the couples down on paper and make the voting slips when we do… it's SO MUCH FUN"  
  
It sounded like murder tome but I didn't say anything. 


	25. Ebony

I wake up to the sound of the blaring radio alarm in the guest room  
SNIKT,   
  
Poor radio we hardly knew yea,  
  
  
It's 6: 30 am, Later than I usually get up, but nicer too. I open the window and revel in the fresh smell of early morning, feeling the cool winters wind on my face, I bring my head back in through the window, and try to remember what's important about today. Suddenly it dawns on me…  
  
IT'S CHRISTMAS!  
  
Which mean the Christmas prom, groan, which means I need a date, groan, which means I have to get off my butt and do something about letting bobby know how I feel about him…  
  
Ok maybe that last one's not such a bad thing!  
  
Even though I know that no one will have gotten me a present, and that I haven't had time to get anyone one, except I managed to pick a silly tie that said "overworked under paid" up for bobby when the girls were dragging me round the mall. I also managed to pick up some normal decent clothing as well as the dress, which is winking at me insolently from the cupboard. Daring me to put it on again and feel the soft fabric beneath my skin, to be a lady for an instant instead of a Tomboy who doesn't even know the meaning of the word and spent as long as she could remember (and probably before that too) In combat pants.  
  
I ignore the dress for the moment, slipping on vest a top, and a soft red sweater that I now actually OWN and is THE RIGHT SIZE for me, woohoo! Not. Clothes aren't that important to me, but I can't deny the sweater is nice and soft, it's cashmere, expensive and comfortable, I rub my cheek on it's shoulder, loving the feel of it against my skin. I debate the jeans kitty leant me then told me to keep, the ones with the torn midriff, a skirt the girls persuaded me I needed catches my eye two, it's a thick fleecy material, it's long and it's white. I sigh; white and red is far more Christmassy than jeans and a red sweater. I give in and wear the skirt, but I'm not gonna wear tights damnit, those things are so uncomfortable, I tried them on yesterday and refused to buy them, I'd rather get cold legs!   
  
  
I look at my hair tangled in a mess, I brush it, smooth black locks forming under my working hands, I debate putting it in a ponytail again, but decide against it, I'll leave it down, I haven't got time.  
  
Why am I up so early? Because I want to get down before everyone else, I know that all the x-men are going to be opening their Christmas presents in one of the lower level rooms, their all under a huge Christmas tree, I bet you storm put on the star, either than or Jean floated it up telepathically, I'm damn sure no one climbed up to put it on! That's not what I'm interested in however, what I'm interested in is the mistletoe hanging over the only door to the room, It's the perfect excuse for what I want to do, no one else will think anything of it when I kiss him, except for Jean, maybe.  
  
  
I go down to the hall and wait there, sure enough I'm practically the first one their, but storm and forge are over by the Christmas tree, talking softly, he's even got his arm round her shoulder, those two! They don't notice me, and I stand by the door, waiting.  
  
I don't have to wait long, He comes through the door looking cute as always, he's wearing Khaki coloured clacks and a white creamy sweater. (S'now or never) I think steeling my nerve as he walks under the mistletoe. He smiles when he sees me, and I step forward, giving him no time to react. I reach up with my unclawed hand and bend his head to mine, pressing my lips to his and kissing him, he winds his arms around me without thinking and I relax pulling back into them "Merry Christmas bobby" I smile "I'm yours if you still want me"  
  
"Ebs…" He says, looking completely stunned. Suddenly my heart sinks to my boots. Maybe he only cares for me as a friend, maybe I was wrong, I've embarrassed myself.  
  
"Forget it" I whisper, removing my hand from round his neck, and pulling out of his grasp, I turn to walk over to go sit with Ororo and forge, Ororo just noticed me, and raises an eyebrow at the events I walk away from Bobby, towards her, but I feel his hand on my arm. My left arm the one with the claws, no one's ever touched me there before while I was here…  
  
ever.  
  
"Wait" He says, louder than he intended, as both adults swivel their heads to looka at us intently, I turn towards him, not knowing what to expect,  
  
I certainly didn't expect him to kiss me. 


	26. Bobby

I wake up and groan as the light hit me, I gaze at the alarm clock, it blinks the time at me 6:30am I groan, I know I didn't set it for this time, and it hasn't gone off, heck I never set it on Christmas day, Scott doesn't give us a day off training for THAT at least, I wonder why I woke up.  
  
Oh yes it's Christmas.  
  
CHRISTMAS!  
  
Shit that means the Christmas prom, I have to get up the nerve to ask Ebony… damnit. Silly really there are other people to go with, yet I can't imagine dancing with anyone but her.  
  
I shave quickly, managing not to cut myself with razor thank god! I dress, Khaki slacks and A white sweater, Green and white, Christmas colours, I wonder what she's wearing.  
I wonder whether to go down to the Christmas tree yet, or to wait. Ebs gets up early, she might be there, but not to many other people with, maybe I can give her my Christmas present and if there's no one a round to see her slap me in the face when I ask her out that sure would make it easier.  
  
Damnit I hate asking girls out, I'm the definition of nervous..  
  
I rush down to the basement, composing myself to look like I haven't before I go in, I push open the door to the room with the X-men team's Christmas tree and see her standing there, she looks beautiful, as always, she's dressed in a white skirt and red sweater, for once her hair isn't fixed tightly in a ponytail and it softens her whole appearance leaving her looking vulnerable, like an angel, I smile at her, about to say hello, but before I can, she steps forward…  
  
And she kisses me.  
  
I wrap my arms around her waist without thinking, not sure I want to think, after all the woman of you dreams just suddenly deciding to kiss you? Who wants to think about that.  
  
As she pulls away and out of the kiss I remember the mistletoe above our heads, and for a second I'm disappointed, maybe that meant nothing to her but Christmas fun, that's what I think till I here her whisper to me.  
  
"Merry Christmas bobby, I'm yours if you still want me" She smiles.  
  
"Ebs…" I say, I'm so stunned I can't react like I should, can't tell her that I've always wanted her and always will, that it goes beyond that, I love her, whatever she saw on my face however, must have been different, because her eyes suddenly fill with hurt, and I can't bear it.  
  
"Forget it" she whispers, removing her hand from round my neck, and pulling out of my grasp, she turns to walk away from me, towards the Christmas tree, where I can here storm and forges chatering voices. I can't let her go and think I don't care for her. I grab for her hand, her nearest one, the left one. I hold her still, and she tenses under my touch, I expect her to break away.  
  
"Wait" I say, louder than I intended, as both adults swivel their heads to look at us intently, She turns towards me, looking hurt and confused, a look I know I have to wipe off her face.  
  
I pull her too me and kiss her, hard, she tenses a second, then relaxes. Responding to the kiss, I don't care that Ororo and that guy are looking at us, I don't care that logan might come through the door and gut us or something, he seems to consider every one of the younger female team member his little protégés, I don't care who knows but I love Ebony.  
  
She's all I care about  
  
We pull out of the kiss, but I leave my hands around her waist, and she stays where she is, head leaning on my chest, for just a moment, nothing at all is wrong in my life, nothing, I could stay like this and hold her forever and I wouldn't mind a bit.  
  
As long as I could hold her  
  
"HuM HUM" Ororo coughs from over by the tree; "If you two are quite finished Ebony, forge and I have a Christmas present for you"  
  
"Huh?" She asks turning round. "But when did you have time I mean, I didn't get you anything I…" she says nervously  
  
"Oh stop it child it is not necessary, just come down to the med lab and we'll explain it to you."  
  
"Can Bobby come?" she asks, clinging to my arm, she doesn't look hurt or angry any more, but she sounds so puzzled it downright cute, I move behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, burying my head in her hair protectively. She leans back against me quietly  
  
"Yes he can come" Ororo smiles. 


	27. Ebony

"YOU CAN WHAT?" I exclaim excitedly in the med lab as storm and forge explain there Christmas present, Jean was waiting for us there, and greeted me and bobby with the rather obscure remark "Well finally." I gave her a strange look but she just laughed.  
  
"I can get the metal glove…and the claws …out of your arm" Forge repeats slowly, grinning at me as he does so, to show he doesn't really think I'm stupid.  
  
"I don't believe it" I whisper quietly, Bobby places a hand on my arm, smiling at me reassuringly.   
  
"Believe it" Jean says, "The three of us went over it together all last nigh, making sure it will work, it's quite simple really…"  
  
"It might hurt a little though, since you'll need a local anesthetic, but on the plus side, you won't ever have to look at that thing again, we think that's how they found you anyway, there must be a tracking device in it."  
  
"I don't care how many injections I have to have!" I laugh "If I can get this stupid thing of my arm and throw it in a river somewhere it'll be more than worth it!"  
  
"Well that's Kinda what we thought, it won't take that long at all, you'll have it off before anyone else is even up"  
  
"Thank you" I smile, hugging all three of the adults "this the best christmas present ever" Is ay sitting back with bobby and leaning against him "apart from your one this morning" I whisper, and he lets out a chuckle. 


	28. Bobby

It's 1 pm and everyone gathered round the Christmas tree after lunch. The adults looking smug, lets just say that getting the glove off Ebs hand was a "faculty" present, earlier we went and dumped it in the cove. Logan is insisting he teach her more martial arts when we get back onto a training schedule to compensate for not having the claws and since she can't use most of her powers indoors, Cyclops has agreed, but she' still on the team. They've forgotten us both now, as forge and storm, reveal plans to radically improve our Obstacal course for better training, they're gonna call it "the danger room" Or something like that, bet scott just loves his Christmas present huh?  
  
Speaking of 'Ro and forge, they've been impossible to separate all day there is definitely something going on there.  
  
"Say Ebs" I say, as we curl up on the sofa, her head leaning on my arm, her and now unmarked (except for four little scab marks) arm sprawled over my chest. My   
Other arm clutches her waist, as I look down at her   
"Uhum" she murmurs looking up at me contently, half drowsy from the huge feast of a lunch.  
"You" I hesitate "do you want to go to the Christmas prom with me?" I ask. She looks at me and chuckles softly to herself.  
"You bet, Jubilee, Kitty and Rogue will kill me if I don't, they spent all last night dragging me round the mall and FORCING me to get a dress for it"   
"And you didn't gut them?" I laugh  
"Well I didn't think killing your ex girlfriend and current team mate would earn me any points with you" She grins  
"And Jubilee?" I ask with a devilish grin  
"She's St john girlfriend, he might get mad, and he's your friend so same reason" She grins back at me insolently.  
"Ah but what about kitty?" I tease  
"Hum" Ebony narrows her eyes jokingly "good point, let me go take care of that shshe scotts of the sofa.  
"Whoa there," I laugh, grabbing her arm and pulling her back onto the sofa "I'm not done with you yet" I grin, kissing her on the forehead, she mumbles something and sits back down with me, dozing off in my arms. I stay still cradling her in my arms, listening to her brething softly.  
  
The girl of my dreams likes me, I'm taking her to the prom tonight, she's happy she got her claws out of her harm, Scott and Jean are devising new training programs to torture us with, bu what else is new? Remy and Rogue are asleep on the other couch, Storm and forge are chatting amiably by the fire, and Logan is nowhere to be found…  
  
This is the best Christmas ever! 


	29. Ebony

I turn off the shower, towelling myself down, sigh I suppose I'll have to put the dress on soon… and get ready for the prom. It's later in the evening now I Hear a knock at the door, and pull a robe around me before going to answer it.   
  
It's Jubilee, Rouge and Kitty all tarted (Ahem I mean dressed) up in their party gear. Jubilee's wearing a sweeping pale gold Gown made out of muslin. Its puff sleeves and a round hole cut in the back with sequins surrounding it, the skirt of the gown trails round her ankles and she keeps pulling at it, I keep expecting her to trip up over it. Kitty's wearing a short tight fitting black dress with spaghetti straps, it seems simple enough at the front, but the back is made up of a crisscrossing network of more straps that change back into the normal satin fabric at about hip level, the skirt is barely decent and shows a LOT of leg. She looks elegant and quite a home in it, not half as fidgety as Jubilee. Rogue looks nervous, and keeps fiddling with her hair, but she's nowhere near as bouncy as Jubilee, who looks like she's going to start jumping from foot to foot and clapping her hands, but gold is definitely her tanned skin and dark hair thrown into sharp contrast, her hair is cropped close to her head and it suits her like that. Rogue's dress is long ending just before her ankles, It's a dark forest green colour, and she somehow managed to find matching boots, that go up just above her knees, which is where the slit in the skirt part of her dress starts. The bust is long sleeved, leaving only part of her shoulders bare, and she's pulled her hair back in a tight bun revealing a pretty face she keeps hidden most of the time. Kitty's hair is down like mine, falling sleek and straight till about shoulder length. Like mine except that hers has a slight wave at the end that mine lacks, and mine is longer when I leave it down, falling to just below my shoulders.  
  
"Like Gal aren't you ready yet, you haven't even put your dress on, we came to see if you needed to borrow makeup"  
"Makeup?" I stammer this whole thing is turning into a nightmare,   
"Oh god please tell me you know what that is"  
"well Kinda,"  
"Good, but you don't have any?"  
"noo…"  
"YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T GET SOME LAST NIGHT, that's ok we can give you a makeover"  
"uhm well..:"  
  
"Come on it'll be fun"  
"Nothing to drastic ok? I don't want any eyeshadow in my eyes, my eyes are sensitive"  
"You don't need eyeshadow Ebony" Kitty soothes, seeming a bit more like the girl I met in I.T Class a few days ago "Your eyes are perfect, Jubs give the girl a bit of room this is her first prom, some mascara and a little lip balm should do the trick, maybe a bit of eyeliner at the most"  
"Yeah, girl you're lucky your so pretty and exotic you don't need makeup like the rest of us"  
"Look who talking sugah" rogue drawls laughingly "the only ones who need makeup are me and kitty"  
"Hey kitty" laughs, elbowing her in the ribs  
"Watch it you'll crumple mah dress" Rogue giggles and they all sit down.  
  
"Well come on Ebs," jubilee says  
"Don't call me that" I say without even thinking about it  
"Oh I get" It Jubilee laughs, "that's bobby's" she drawled the name "Nickname for you isn't it, you like him don't you she quizzes" I blush   
"welly es"  
"Cool maybe he'll dance with you at the prom!" Kitty suggests, I grin now feeling one step ahead of the game  
"Well actually…" I say feeling them hang on to my every word.  
"Yeah, what?" Jubilee presses  
"He's taking me" I finish with a smirk,   
Kitty raises an eyebrow "Wow so soon he must really dig you" she says.   
"NO SHIT AWW THAT'S GREAT!" Jubilee squeals, I suppress a chuckle, Rogue frown a bit but congratulate me as well.  
"Well come on then gal what you waiting for get your dress on" Jubilee hurries me up, I take the dress into the bathroom and slip it on again, feeling out of place in it, as if I was a total alien, but then again when it comes to dresses, I am this is the first one I've ever worn. Even in the few memories I still have of Puerto Rica I was always wearing shorts and crop tops running round like the bastard child of Lara croft.  
  
"Come on out and let us see you gal" Jubilee calls from the main bedroom I walk out nervously  
"and the shoes" Rogue urges, Jubs did the dress, rogue choose shoes she knew I'd actually be able to walk in, and it looks like Kitty is gonna make sure my face doesn'0t get totally massacred.  
  
  
What are friends for? 


	30. Bobby

I Knock on Ebony's door, ready to take her to the prom, bouquet of some wild flowers I managed to coax off storm and her Christmas present I never got to give her held behind my back.  
I hear a muffled voice "I'm not coming out" I hear her sob from behind the door.  
"Why not?" I say trying to keep amusement out of my voice and be sympathetic, I had a pretty good idea why not, I just saw Jubilee Kitty and Rogue coming down the hall from this direction. They had their makeup on and they were going to meet their dates, going with St John, rogue ahs gambit and Kitty's going with this new kid who started this term named Peter. Peter Rasputin, he's Russian.  
  
"I feel like a… " Her language would have made a sailor blush "…doll bobby, I can't come out like this, I mean what if they do this silly King and queen of the prom thing and they elect me cos I'm the new girl, I'll probably trip and fall on my face or something, this isn't the kind of thing I'm good with"  
"Woah, if it's the king and queen of the prom that's worrying you, trust me it's not gonna happen if your going with me, why? Because their afraid of what I might say in the speech ok? Come on Ebs just come out here and let me take a look at you, we don't have to go anywhere, I won't make fun of you or anything" I say trying to humour her out of it, I hear a short bark of laughter behind the door, and the sound of the chain being put on as the bolt pull back and her eyes stare at me through the crack in the door  
"Promise you won't laugh at me?" She asks nervously  
I smile "I promise" I say  
"Ok" she whispers, pulling the chain back and stepping out into the hallway "how do I look?" She asks determinatively looking at the floor instead of meeting my gaze.   
  
"You look beautiful," I say and it's true, she's wearing a red velvet Chinese style dress. With a high neck that ends just above her knees, and a matching pair of ankle boots that have barely there pump heels and are easy to walk in, Rogues doing I'm sure, she was always on about how uncomfortable heels were and trying find alternative party shoes. Ebony's face is hardly made up, there's a little eyeliner around her big brown eyes when she finally tilts her head up, and her lips are shiny and smell of strawberry when I kiss her.   
"Really?" she asks when I pull back  
"Really" I smile back at her.  
"Thanks" she smiles, brushing her hair back, AGAIN she's been doing that ever since she came out of the door, guess my present will come in useful.  
"For you" I say, handing her the flowers and the presents"  
"Their beautiful" She takes the, black and red roses that remind me of her, Black for her hair, red for her lips. She smells them and a smile lights her face, she runs back in to put them in water and I fiddle with the collar on my suit. Wow a suit, original it's prom night, every guy is wearing a suit, and I'm so glad to be a guy because it means I don't even have to try, to look individual on prom night.  
She reappears with something in her hands and my present  
"Are you gonna open that?" I ask  
"Only after I've given you this" She smiles handing me a tie, I laugh when I read it   
"Just what I needed," I say "I forgot mine"  
"Sorry I didn't have time to wrap it up" She mumbles as I fasten the tie and ask her if it's allright, she just nods.  
"That's ok" I smile "Open yours now, hurry or we'll be late"  
She opens it, grinning when she sees what I brought her "Oh" She gasps "it's perfect" Somehow I knew she'd like it, I bought it after her first day at school, when she looked at Ro's plants in the history room and gazed longingly at the 'Christmas star' flowers.  
  
It's a hair clip, a red five pointed Poinsettia with tiny green leaves streaked with gold fleck here and there, Perfect and delicate made out of blown glass, just like her  
  
"I love it" she says, reaching up to put it in her hair with a smile  
"I hope you would" I grin "here let me do that" I reach up and tuck the offending strand of hair she's been playing with all evening back behind her ear and pin it with the clip.  
"There" I chuckle, kissing her on the forehead "My Christmas star" I tease.  
"Hum" She grins at me "shall we go"  
"Allow me my lady" I joke, holding out an arm to her with a mock bow "allow me"  
"Why thank you kind sir" She jokes back, attempting a curtsy and taking my hand" 


	31. Epiloque: Ebony

I had a great time, the food was good and the dancing at least wasn't complicated, teenage single dancing consist of pumping your hands in the air to the beat, teenage couple dancing consists of holding onto your partner and swaying to the rhythm, simple really.  
  
Don't know why I was so worried about that.  
  
It's the last dance of the Prom now, they didn't do a king and queen vote, they didn't have time this Christmas, and that make me feel more comfortable, Kitty grina t me from where she dances with her partner, Remy and Rogue have stopped dancing and are talking quietly in the corner, as for Jubilee and St John, their no where to be seen, the last time I saw either of them. I listen to the music as the lyrics start up; it pretty much sums up my mood… Happy and contented as long as I have him in my arms.  
  
This has been the Best Christmas ever,   
  
And I don't need memories of my past life to know that!  
  
iLook at the sky  
Tell me what do you see  
Just close your eyes  
And describe it to me  
The heavens are sparkling  
With starlight tonight  
That's what I see  
Through your eyes  
  
I see the heavens  
Each time that you smile  
I hear your heartbeat  
Just go on for miles  
And suddenly I know  
My life is worth while  
That's what i see  
Through your eyes  
  
  
Here in the night  
I see the sun  
Here in the dark  
Our two hearts are one  
It's out of our hands  
We can't stop what we have begun  
And love just took me by surprise  
Looking through your eyes  
  
I look at myself  
And instead I see us  
Whoever I am now,  
It feels like enough  
And I see a girl  
Who is learning to trust  
That's who I see  
Through your eyes.  
  
Here in the night  
I see the sun  
Here in the dark  
Our two hearts are one  
It's out of our hands  
We can't stop what we have begun  
And love just took me by surprise  
Looking through your eyes  
  
And there are some things we don't know  
Sometimes our heart just needs to go  
And there is so much I remember  
Underneath the open sky with you forever  
  
MORE THAN I REMEMER MORE THAN I HAVE LEARNED.  
  
Here in the night  
I see the sun  
Here in the dark  
Our two hearts are one  
It's out of our hands  
We can't stop what we have begun  
And love just took me by surprise  
Looking through your eyes   
  
  
Authors notes: Finally, you dear reader deserve a medal for getting through all that, and I think I deserve one for writing it 'cos I had to write the last 20 chapters in the 3 or 4 days before Christmas, and get people Christmas present, and find a tree with my dad, and decorate it, phew I'm exhausted! So before I go and sleep right through till tomorrow when I open my presents I have two things to say… 1) The song comes from a Disney film called 'Excalibur: quest for Camelot' and I think it was originally sung by The Corrs but Leann Rimes sings it too, so nobody sue! I thought it was appropriate because of the line "and I see a girl that is learning to trust, that's what I see through your eyes" because I think that sums up the whole story. The second thing I have to say is this….  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU! 


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